Cannabis authority yet to start issuing licences, months after law introduced

‘This is a delicate process that cannot be done overnight’ – ARUC head
Times of Malta (Malta)
Monday, August 29, 2022

malta cannabis flag3New rules on cannabis use came into force in Malta in December after parliament approved a new law aimed at further decriminalising the substance. The new law allows for the creation of cannabis associations for those smokers who might be unwilling or unable to grow the plant at home. They can join such associations, which cultivate cannabis to distribute among members, and buy their supply from there. But, eight months since the law was introduced, the Authority on the Responsible Use of Cannabis (ARUC) has yet to start issuing licences for these clubs - or even publish regulatory guidelines which such clubs must adhere to. Authority chairperson Mariella Dimech said that the process is “delicate” and “cannot be done overnight”.